HMB Boosts Aerobic Capacity

Weight room warriors think of HMB (β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate) as a muscle recovery product. What can a supplement popular with strength athletes and bodybuilders do for athletes focused on building aerobic capacity? An interesting study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research takes a look.
 
Fifty-eight experienced male athletes supplemented with a gram of HMB 3 times a day for 12 weeks. Some subjects received a placebo. Compared to measurements taken before the program began, HMB helped increase fat free mass by about ½ pound, slightly extended the time to reach ventilatory threshold and helped increase maximum oxygen consumption, which is a measurement of fitness.